Pattern control device for looms



Nov. 15, 1960 H. P. OLDFIELD PATTERN CONTROL DEVICE FOR LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. '7, 1956 INVENTOR. HOWARD P. OLDF\E LD r /0E|: j:|:::1:1::: m

Nov. 15, 1960 H. P. OLDFlELD 2,960,116

PATTERN CONTROL DEVICE FOR LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 7, 1956 i INVENTOR.

HOWARD P. OLDF\ELD United States This invention relates in general to pattern mechanisms of looms. More especially, it has to do with the provision of novel means for operating the head-motion of an automatic loom for the purpose of controlling the pattern and the box chain mechanisms of the machine to properly actuate the head-motion vibrators that operate to cause the particular harnesses of the loom to be raised or lowered, and also to lift the desired boxes, whereby control is elfected of the pattern of the fabric being woven.

The present invention has for one of its important objects the elimination of the customary harness pattern chains and box chains employing metal risers and sinkers and the replacement thereof by continuous endless pattern control strips or belts of a plastic material each having arranged across and disposed along its exterior operating surface at predetermined locations thereof a multiplicity of pattern control elements or portions which are brought by the moving belt under the runs of the vibrator levers of the loom head-motion for each pick of the Weave, and are so constructed and arranged that they cen eifect the proper movement of the jacks to raise and lower the loom harnesses to produce the required shedding of the warp ends, and to lift the desired shuttle boxes, during weaving operations.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an endless pattern control belt of the character aforesaid which is of such simple and inexpensive construction that it will be expendable and can be discarded after weaving one run of a warp of goods.

A further object of the invention is to provide an endless pattern control belt which is devoid of lubricated parts which require assembly, and has small bulk so that it can be easily stored for subsequent re-runs of the same pattern whenever needed, thus efiecting a saving in labor which was previously required for assembling and disassembling present metal pattern and box chains with their oily risers and sinkers as well as completely eliminating the prior objectionable oily and greasy Working conditions attendant with such conventional metal chains during both use and storage thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical method and means for producing an all-plastic pattern control belt of the novel character above-described.

Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation diagrammatically illustrating the essential parts of a Knowles head-motion with the pattern belt-drive roll being shown in section and in its operative position and having applied thereto an endless pattern control belt constructed in accordance with the invention;

atent O Fig. 2 is a pictorial view of an endless pattern control belt representing one form of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating a modification of the Fig. 2 form of pattern control belt;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view diagrammatically illustrating one practical method of forming simulated risers and sinkers at predetermined exterior locations on one of the transverse ribs of the plastic pattern control belt of the Fig. 2 form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a section similar to the righthand portion of Fig. l but showing a grooved type of pattern belt-drive roll equipped with an endless pattern control belt of the modified Fig. 3 form;

Fig. 6 is a pictorial view illustrating another form of r endless pattern control belt according to the present invention and having perforated and unperforated pattern control portions;

Fig. 7 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing the Fig. 6 form of pattern control belt applied to a pin-type pattern belt-drive roll and in operating position with respect to the vibrator levers of the head-motion;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of the flat strip or blank of plastic material of proper con-tour and length to be formed into an endless pattern control belt of the Fig. 6 embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a pictorial view depicting my improved detachable drive coupling arrangement between the pattern belt-drive roll and the driving end bearing support therefor;

Fig. 11 is an end view showing my improved releasable bearing arrangement for rotatably supporting the other end of the pattern belt-drive roll; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view of part of a vibrator lever equipped with a lifter shoe of molded nylon or similar material.

The invention is here disclosed in its several embodiments as applied to a head-motion of a common conventional form with which an automatic loom of the Crompton & Knowles type is equipped. The usual harness pattern chain and box chain have been eliminated and replaced by continuous endless strips or belts constructed in accordance with the present invention, but the essential and common operating parts'of the head motion have been here illustrated.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and in particular to Fig. 1 thereof, I have diagrammatically illustrated the essential parts of a Knowles head-motion M which comprises two cylinder gears 10 and 12 arranged respectively directly above and below :a series of vibrator gears 14, only one of which is here shown. The cylinder gears 10 and 12 extend entirely across the head-motion M and they are driven from one end in the direction indicated by the arrows, either from the crankshaft (not shown) of the loom or from the bot-tom shaft thereof (not shown), by means of the usual bevel gearing (not shown) secured to an upright shaft (not shown) which is equipped with a suitable clutch (not shown) whereby the weaver may disconnect 'the driving mechanism of the head-motion in order to turn ,the latter by hand as, for instance, when finding the correct pick on which to start the loom after a pick-out, etc. The cylinder gears 10 and 12 are provided with teeth 15 and 16 respectively on half of their circumferences while the other half thereof are blank, as indicated at 17 and 18 respectively. The vibrator gears 14, of which one 'is here shown although there are as many as there are harnesses to be operated in the loom, are constructed of and driven by either relatively thin steel disks which are provided with teeth 19 to mesh with the teeth and 16 on the cylinder gears 10 and 12, as will be subsequently described. At diametrically opposite portions of the circumference of the vibrator gears 14 the succession of teeth 19 is interrupted by blank spaces, a blank space equivalent to one tooth being left at the bottom portion as indicated at 29, and on the top portion a blank space equivalent to four teeth being left, as indicated at 21. The vibrator gear 14 is free to turn on a pin 23 placed in the end of the usual vibrator lever 24, which is fulcrumed on a rod 25. Harness jacks 26, one for each of the vibrator gears 14, have their usual hubs pivotally mounted on a rod 27 and each jack is attached by connections 28 and 29 to a barness frame (not shown). Individual connectors 30 each pivoted at one end as indicated at 31 at a point near the outer edge of each vibrator gear 14, and pivoted at the other end to a harness jack 26 by a pin 32 connects the jack with its associated vibrator gear 14.

A small rod 34 passing just above the hubs of the harness jacks 26 prevents the latter from being dislodged from the pivot rod 27 as they move thereon when raising and lowering the harness frames.

A semi-circular slot 35 is provided in each of the vibrator gears 14 and there is engaged with this slot a steadying pin 36 which is riveted in the vibrator lever. The pin 36 together with the length of the slot 35 governs the extent of movement of the vibrator gear 14 and prevents this gear from being thrown beyond its proper stopping place by reason of its momentum or by other cause.

In the usual and conventional construction of such a headmotion M each of the vibrator levers 24 is provided with a hard steel lifter shoe 38 at the point thereof where it will come into contact with the usual risers and sinkers on the respective bars of a conventional metal pattern chain (not shown) as it is revolved by the pins or grooves, as the case may be, of the usual pattern chain cylinder (not shown) on which it is supported. This pattern chain cylinder is rotated so that each chain bar with its risers and sinkers is brought in succession under the runs of the vibrator levers 14 for each pick of the loom to lift or lower the particular vibrator levers in exact step with the engagement of their respective lifter shoes with the pattern arrangement of the risers and sinkers on the bars.

There is shown also in Fig. 1, the usual lock-knife mechanism, as indicated generally at 39, which is arranged to lock and hold every vibrator lever 24 in the position then occupied while the cylinder gears 10 and 12 respectively are engaged and turning the particular vibrator gears 14 that are raised in contact with the top cylinder gear and those that are lowered and held in contact with the bottom cylinder gear and thus prevent such vibrator gears from being forced out of mesh with the respective cylinder gears.

The structure thus far described is of well known and usual construction and operates in the ordinary manner.

According to the present invention the customary loom harness pattern chains and box chains employing metal risers and sinkers and the usual sprocketed pattern chain cylinders therefor are replaced by continuous endless strips or belts of plastic material which are applied to pin-type or grooved pattern rolls. These belts may be formed in various ways, such as, for example, by extrusion, by molding, or by lamination, to provide a fiat strip or blank of proper contour and length to be made endless by a butt joint of its ends formed by plastic or thermal joining of the plastic material. Each of the belts is provided at predetermined locations across and along its operating surface with numerous pattern controlling elements, such as transverse ribs, fashioned to provide a series of lug-like projections interrupted by notches, or by means of slotted perforated and unperforated portions, which elements and portions,

as the case may be, are constructed and arranged to raise or lower particular vibrator levers of the headmotion as they move in a path thereunder and are brought by the moving belt into coacting relationship with the lifter shoes 38 of the particular vibrators. The invention further includes the making of these vibrator lifter shoes 38 of molded nylon or similar material in lieu of hard steel presently employed. The ribs would have the same radius of curvature as the usual metal sinkers and would be cut by a suitable machine to form a predetermined pattern of lug-like projections interrupted by slots so as to simulate and correspond in height to the usual risers and sinkers of a metal pattern chain. Such a machine may be automatic or hand-guided. The cutting tool to be used could be either a milling type cutter or one that is saw-toothed whichever is applicable to cut the type of plastic material used in making the belt.

Referring to Fig. 2, I have shown one form of continuous endless pattern control strip or belt 40 made of a plastic material, particularly polyethylene, and having a series of transverse ribs 41 which are equally spaced from each other longitudinally along the outer operating surface of the belt. In this construction, the continuous foundation or body portion of the belt, as indicated at 42, has a sheet-like formation and the ribs 41 are integral therewith and terminate short of both longitudinal edges of the sheet to provide two sheet-like marginal portions 43 at opposite sides of the belt. As illustrated, these marginal portions each have a series of spaced perforations 44 into which are received suitable pins 45 which are provided on the peripheries of a pattern belt-drive roll 46 (see Figs. 1 and 4) and are equally spaced radially near the opposite ends of each of the usual two tandem cylinder bodies 47 and 48 of this roll for feeding the two endless pattern control belts 40 applied to these respective cylinders for controlling the harness jacks and the box lifting mechanism respectively.

As shown in Fig. 2, there is a perforation 44 at each margin of the belt 40 and at both ends of each rib 41 so that for each angular motion of the roll 46 the pattern control belts 40 will be advanced under the vibrator levers 24 the distance between adjacent ribs to bring the pattern indicating and control elements of succeeding ribs under and into engagement with the lifter shoes 38 of the vibrator levers 24. To provide these pattern indicating and control elements in this belt construction, the ribs 41 are fashioned along their longitudinal extent in such a manner as to present a row of upstanding lug-like projections or risers 50 which are interrupted by deep sinker spaces or notches 51 arranged at predetermined intervals for controlling the operation of the head-motion M to effect the desired pattern or Weave during weaving operations. In this belt construction, the tops of the lug-like projections 50 and the bottoms of the notches 51 preferably present operating surfaces which lie at the same level and simulate those of the customary metal risers and sinkers of the ordinary pattern chain.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated a modified form of the Fig. 2 pattern belt element in which the longitudinal side edges thereof having the marginal perforations 44 are eliminated and the inner surface of the belt body 42 is provided instead with a plurality of transversely extending slats 54 integral therewith, one slat being disposed directly beneath each exterior row of transversely extending ribs 41. This construction would be especially suitable for use on loom pattern belt-drive rolls 46 in which the outer periphery of the cylinder bodies 47 and 48 are longitudinally grooved or corrugated, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

In both the Figs. 2 and 3 pattern belt constructions, the rows of lug-like projections 50 and notches 51 are produced in each of the ribs 41 as the result of cutting out the plastic material at predetermined locations therealong by use of a suitable rotary cutting tool 55, as depicted in Fig. 4, whereby these pattern control elements occupy positions on the belt surface that properly conform with the pattern control requirements of the weave.

In Figs. 6 to 9, the endless pattern control belt 40 is of a sheet-like construction having generally flat exterior surface formed with slotted perforations 56 and unperforated portions 57, while at the side edges there are provided a series of marginal perforations 58 which are arranged in spaced relation along both longitudinal edges of the belt. In this construction the inside peripheral surface of the belt 40 is provided with a plurality of integrallongitudinally extending ribs 59 which are of appreciable thickness and spaced apart transversely for fitting into the spaces 60 between a row of collars 61 which are arranged in axially spaced relationship along the pattern belt-drive roll 62 and which support the belt when it is applied over this roll. The slotted perforations 56 correspond with the usual metal sinkers of a conventional pattern chain, and the plain or unperforated portions 57 of the belt body correspond with the usual metal risers of a conventional pattern chain. The ribs 59 underlie the lifter shoes 38 of the vibrator levers 24 and the slotted perforations 56 are cut through the ribs 59, and also extend longitudinally thereof for such an angular distance as will be determined by the length of time for which a particular vibrator lever is to remain in its lowered position, and also as will be determined by the angular motion of the pattern belt drive roll 62. In this instance, the marginal perforations 58 will be disposed opposite and lie midway of the longitudinal extent of any slotted perforation 56 included within each angular advance motion given the belt 40 by the pattern belt-drive roll 62. Where the pattern requirements are such that a vibrator lever 24 is to remain down during an interval of several angular advance motions of the pattern belt-drive roll 62, it will be obvious that there will be one continuous slotted perforation 56 extending throughout this angular motion in which there will be a marginal perforation 58 disposed opposite and lying midway of the longitudinal extent of each section of the continuous slotted perforation 56 that lies within the part of the belt 40 advanced by each angular motion of the pattern belt-drive roll 62.

In the various constructions of the belt 40 illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, the plastic material preferably is polyethylene which may be extruded into the formations shown to provide the initial fiat strips or blanks which then are formed into an endless belt or joining their ends together into a butt seam S by plastic or thermal welding or by cementing. While the use of a polyethylene plastic is specified, it should be understood that any other type of moldable and extrudible plastic material which would have the desired strength and toughness, permanent dimensional retention, and other properties required, and yet will not stretch or be unduly flexible as it goes around the pattern belt-drive rolls, would be a suitable material of which to construct the belts.

In Fig. 8 the lifter shoe 38 is shown as being dropped through a slotted perforation 56 of the Fig. 6 form of belt 40, while the vibrator lever 24 is held in its lowered position by means of a stop element (not shown) usually associated with such lever. When raised, lifter shoes 38 ride on unperforated portions 57 of the belt 40.

In order to facilitate installation of the endless belts 40 in the head-motion M I have provided a demountable pattern belt-drive roll 46 and a detachable drive coupling arrangement between said roll and the driving end hearing support therefor. Thus, as shown in Fig. 10, the drive spindle of the roll extends beyond one end of said roll and is provided with a tang 65 at its outer end adapted for detachable interfitting engagement into a transverse slot 66 in the bottom of a socket bearing 67 of a flanged drive member 68 which is rotated by a shaft 69 and is suitably journaled in one of the frame supports 70 of the head-mottion M. The socket bearing 67 serves both to center and support the driving end of the roll 46 in the drive member 69. The other end of the drive 6 spindle of the roll 46 is journaled in a two-piece hinged type bearing 71 as shown in Fig. 11, and in which the lower bearing half 72 is releasably held in place by means of a suitable lever device '73 to permit ready removal of such spindle portion of the roll 46 from the bearing.

In Fig. 12 I have shown a fragmentary portion of a vibrator lever 24 having aflixed thereto a lifter shoe 38 of nylon or similar material. This replacement of the conventional hard steel lifter shoe by one of nylon or other similar plastic material is desirable in order to avoid abrasion or tearing of the plastic belts 40 as would occur with a metal lifter shoe.

The operation of the head-motion M by such continuous endless pattern control strips or belts 40 is as follows:

Whenever a plastic lug-like projection or riser 50' of a Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 form of belt or an unperforated portion 57 of a Fig. 6 form of belt is brought under a vibrator lever 24, the latter is lifted and consequently raises the vibrator gear 14 pinned to its extremity, thus bringing it in contact with the top cylinder gear 10 which is constantly rotating. The cylinder gear 10 turns the vibrator gear 14 about one-quarter of a revolution, or until the blank space 21 of four teeth is brought on top. This movement of the vibrator gear 1 4 causes the point to which the connector 30 is connected to move from one dead center to the other, thus drawing the connector 30 and the harness jack 26 in toward the head-motion M and raising the attached harness frame (not shown). The vibrator gear 14 continues to keep the harness frame raised as long as the lug-like projections 50 or the unperforated portion 57 come under the run of the vibrator lever 24, but should a notch 51 in a rib 41 or a slotted perforation 57 of the respective belts be brought into position under the lefter shoe 38, the particular vibrator lever 24 and its gear 14 would be lowered to mesh the latter with the bottom cylinder gear 12, thereby revolving the gear 14 until the blank space 21 of four teeth lies at the bottom, where it would remain until a succeeding luglike projection 50 or an unperforated portion 57 is brought up by the advancing belt 40. This would have the effect of forcing the pin 31, to which the connector 30 is fastened, to the other side of the vibrator gear 14, thus forcing the connector 30 and the harness jack 26 toward the loom and lowering the particular harness frame. The vibrator gear 14 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5 is shown in the position it assumes when a so-called sinker space or notch 51 or a slotted perforation 57 is brought under the lifter shoe 38 of the vibrator lever 24 overhead, and with the bottom cylinder gear 12 just starting to turn the vibrator gear 14 to lower the particular harness frame.

What is claimed is:

l. A pattern control device for looms comprising a continuous endless strip pattern made of a polyethylene plastic having a sheet-like body portion on which is disposed a multiplicity of transversely spaced integral pattern indicating and control portions adapted and arranged in accordance with a desired pattern draft for operating the usual vibrator levers of a loom head-motion and render them effective for controlling the weave pattern of a fabric during weaving operations in sequence with the pattern draft of said indicating and control portions of the strip when the latter is caused to move with an advancing motion under and into operative contact with such headmotion vibrator levers.

2. A attern control device for looms comprising an endless flexible pattern belt made of a polyethylene plastic having a sheet-like body portion which has integral therewith at predetermined intervals across and along its length a multiplicity of spaced pattern indicating and control portions adapted and arranged for actuating the usual vibrator levers of a loom head-motion and render them effective for controlling the weave pattern of a fabric during weaving operations in sequence with the pattern draft of said indicating and control portions of the belt when the latter is caused to move with an advancing motion under and into operative contact with such head-motion vibrator levers.

3. A pattern control device according to claim 2 in which the pattern indicating and control elements are disposed on the exterior surface of the belt and comprise transverse rows of lug-like projections interrupted by notches fashioned to simulate and present operating surfaces corresponding to those of the usual metal risers and sinkers of a conventional pattern chain.

4. A pattern control device according to claim 2 in which said endless belt is further provided along its marginal side edges with a series of spaced perforations to be engaged by driving pins of a pattern belt-drive roll to insure positive feeding movement of the belt in unison therewith under the head-motion vibrators.

5. A pattern control device according to claim 2 in which said pattern indicating and control elements comprise transverse rows of lug-like projections disposed on the exterior peripheral surface of said endless belt and there is further provided a plurality of slats extending across and integral with the inner peripheral surface of said belt with one of said slats being disposed directly beneath each transverse row of lug-like projections, said slats being adapted to be engaged in and driven by longitudinal grooves in the periphery of a pattern belt-drive roll to insure positive feeding movement of the belt in unison therewith under the head-motion vibrators.

6. A pattern control device for looms comprising an endless flexible non-stretchable pattern control belt made of a polyethylene plastic which has a sheet-like body portion provided with slotted perforations and unperforated portions arranged in accordance with a desired pattern draft for operating the usual vibrator levers of a loom head-motion and render them effective for controlling the weave pattern of a fabric during weaving operations in sequence with the pattern draft of said slotted perforations and unperforated portions of said belt when the latter is caused to move with an advancing motion under and into operative relation with such head-motion vibrators.

7. A pattern control device according to claim 6 in which the endless belt has integral with its inner peripheral surface rows of transversely spaced longitudinally extending ribs through selected ones of which said slotted perforations are situated and extend through and longitudinally thereof.

8. A pattern control device for looms comprising an endless flexible pattern belt constructed of a tough plastic sheet material resistant to stretching and adapted to maintain its original dimensions, said belt having spaced integral portions of its surface area adapted to engage different pivoted vibratory levers of the usual Knowles head motion and operate them in predetermined order and having other portions of the surface area of the belt of which some are disposed to be free from engagement with the remaining vibratory levers for rendering them inactive during operation of the active vibratory levers and certain others are disposed to adapt the last-named levers to swing in the opposite direction from their previous movement.

9. In a pattern-control mechanism for looms equipped with a head-motion which includes a plurality of pivoted vibratory levers, lifter-shoes carried by and projecting downwardly from said levers, a rotatable pattern-driving roll, and an endless flexible pattern belt passed about and advanced by said roll and having spaced integral pattern-determining portions in association with its surface area adapted to engage the lifter-shoes of different vibratory levers to lift them in predetermined order in accordance with the pattern indications of said patterndetermining portions, and further having other patterndetermining portions in association with said surface area of the belt disposed to be free of engagement with the lifter-shoes of said levers to adapt them to pivot downwardly, that .improvement which consists in the endless flexible belt of the combination in the above-recited mechanism being constructed of a tough flexible plastic sheet material which is resistant to stretching and adapted to maintain its original dimensions, and in the further provision of lifter-shoes of nylon to coact with the patterndetermining portions of said belt for transmitting pattern indications to said levers.

10. In a pattern-control mechanism for looms equipped with a head-motion which includes a plurality of pivoted vibratory levers, lifter-shoes carried by and projecting downwardly from said levers, a rotatable pattern-driving roll, and an endless flexible pattern belt passed about and advanced by said roll and having spaced integral patterndetermining portions in association with its surface area adapted to engage the lifter-shoes of ditferent vibratory levers to lift them in predetermined order in accordance with the pattern indications of said pattern-determining portions, and further having other pattern-determining portions in association with said surface area of the belt disposed to be free of engagement with the lifter-shoes of said levers to adapt them to pivot downwardly, that improvement which consists in the endless flexible pattern belt of the combination in the above-recited mechanism being non-stretchable and constructed of a polyethylene plastic and in the further provision of lifter-shoes of nylon to coact with the pattern-determining portions of said belt for transmitting pattern indications to said levers.

11. Pattern-control mechanism for looms equipped with a head-motion as claimed in claim 10 in which the endless flexible non-stretchable pattern belt is made of a polyethylene plastic sheet material and has pattern-determining perforations therein to be aligned with the liftershoes when in use.

12. Pattern-control mechanism for looms equipped with a head-motion as claimed in claim 10 in which the endless flexible non-stretchable pattern belt is made of a polyethylene plastic which has a sheet-like body portion provided with slotted perforations and unperforated por-. tions arranged in accordance with a desired pattern draft for coacting with the nylon lifter-shoes and transmitting indications of the pattern thereto for operating the pivoted vibratory levers of the head-motion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 832,013 Fitton Sept. 25, 1906 1,565,568 Holmes Dec. 15, 1925 1,737,598 Lombardi Dec. 3, 1929 1,837,487 Reynolds et a1 Dec. 22, 1931 1,886,133 Staubli Nov. 1, 1932 1,953,652 Holmes Apr. 3, 1934 2,007,883 Spahn July 9, 1935 2,612,189 Blanchard Sept. 30, 1952 2,627,879 Lundgren Feb. 10, 1953 2,724,414 Ramer et al. Nov. 22, 1955 2,778,380 McVety Jan. 22, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,114,604 France Dec. 19, 1955 

